I am a professional tattoo artist in Portland, OR since '06. My career started under the tutiledge of Rio DeGennaro. I worked for a brief period at Portland's legendary Sea Tramp Tattoo Co. for Don Deaton, and since '07 have been working for Optic Nerve Arts in Northeast Portland.
I was born and raised in the Golden Heart of Alaska, and moved to Portland in the fall of '02. My Grandma and Uncle are two of my greatest inspirations, and have been for as long as I can remember. I give them full credit for my urge to pursue art as not only an outlet for expression but also as a very fulfilling career. My Grandma was essentially my mother when I was young, she patiently shared her knowledge of art as I developed. She had been a fabric painter and adult art teacher in her younger years. My Uncle is an accomplished miniature painter, and throughout my childhood I saw his projects progress to completion. To this day his collection is stunning.
My interest in tattoos began in high school, when friends would ask me to draw tattoo designs for them. At that point in time, it seemed a rather unachievable idea that someday I would get the opportunity to design AND make tattoos for people. The curiosity and desire to explore the ancient art of tattooing only deepened when I started researching artists to begin my collection, and sat down for my first tattoo. The realization that getting a tattoo is not only about permanently marking your skin but also about the experience, affected me profoundly. Tattooing shook my world, it opened my eyes, and it seized my heart.
I love my job, I love creative and imaginative people, and I love art. I work a number of the tattoo conventions across the Northwest annually, and I do occasionally work as a guest artist in other cities.
little.elwin@gmail.com
I was born and raised in the Golden Heart of Alaska, and moved to Portland in the fall of '02. My Grandma and Uncle are two of my greatest inspirations, and have been for as long as I can remember. I give them full credit for my urge to pursue art as not only an outlet for expression but also as a very fulfilling career. My Grandma was essentially my mother when I was young, she patiently shared her knowledge of art as I developed. She had been a fabric painter and adult art teacher in her younger years. My Uncle is an accomplished miniature painter, and throughout my childhood I saw his projects progress to completion. To this day his collection is stunning.
My interest in tattoos began in high school, when friends would ask me to draw tattoo designs for them. At that point in time, it seemed a rather unachievable idea that someday I would get the opportunity to design AND make tattoos for people. The curiosity and desire to explore the ancient art of tattooing only deepened when I started researching artists to begin my collection, and sat down for my first tattoo. The realization that getting a tattoo is not only about permanently marking your skin but also about the experience, affected me profoundly. Tattooing shook my world, it opened my eyes, and it seized my heart.
I love my job, I love creative and imaginative people, and I love art. I work a number of the tattoo conventions across the Northwest annually, and I do occasionally work as a guest artist in other cities.
little.elwin@gmail.com
